I could hear them fighting as I followed everyone down the dark torch-lit hall. I could only see four students in different stages of physical damage. If Snivellus was right with his information, that only left Harry and the Longbottom boy fighting the ten Death Eaters.

I heard my cousin threaten Harry and I swore that I’d kill her. I wish had Benn able to fulfill that promise…

I was the last one to enter through the large door. I saw the fear leave Harry’s face when he saw me, to be replaced with excitement and relief. I immediately began to duel with Bellatrix. We dueled to kill. I didn’t have to think very hard to duel. I had been in more than my fair share at Hogwarts and the idea of killing her was simple.

I hoped Harry had the common sense to grab Neville and get back to Hogwarts. But that’s not what James would do, so, of course, Harry had to stay.

I heard Remus shout for him, to leave, to grab everyone he had brought with him and to leave but I knew, and I’m sure Remus knew as well, that Harry would never do that.

I was surprised when Harry started doing what he was told for once.

Another few moments passed and I knew Harry was still in the room, I could feel his presence, just like I could always feel James’ and even Lily’s. There was something about the three of them… It seemed like he and Longbottom were having issues making it up the stairs but I couldn’t turn around and help, I had to keep Bellatrix busy for just a little while longer.

Then I heard the Longbottom boy shout ‘DUBBLEDORE’ and I got over-confident. I could hear the room quiet as Dumbledore began capturing and arresting the other Death Eaters in the room, but I still fought.

I wanted it to end though, so I goaded her. I was still foolishly convinced that nothing could hurt me as long as Dumbledore was nearby. I should have learned from James and Lily that Dumbledore wasn’t perfect, he wasn’t all-powerful.

I could feel Harry’s eyes watching me as I ducked a painful hex from Bellatrix.

“Come on, you can do better than that!” I yelled with a laugh. I heard my voice echoing around the cavernous room. I shouldn’t have been so cocky because, I wasn’t fast enough to avoid the green light that hit me in the chest.

My eyes found Harry’s, so much like Lily’s. I had seen a myriad of emotions in her eyes before. Happiness on the day she told me she was pregnant; sadness and grief on the day she buried her parents; fear the night that she found out that her young family was possibly being hunted down by Voldemort himself; worry when she confided in me about her fear in marrying a Marauder… I had seen so many emotions in my time with her, but I had never seen the intensity of the emotions I saw now cross Harry’s face.

It started with awe as he watched me duel, and then changed to shock, fear, sadness, and anger, and the final, most agonizing emotion- for me, at least- was the fearful determination he had as he released the boy in his arms and began running towards me as I fell.

I wanted him to catch me, to keep me from falling into the whispering veil behind me.

I felt shock as I realized that I was either dying and this moment was lasting an eternity or I was already dead and I was watching as a bystander caught in the middle of the fray.

I saw Remus grab Harry around the middle to keep him from coming onto the dais where I was still falling. Then, I heard Harry shout my name twice and knew that was it. It didn’t hurt it was just over.

I lay on the ground for a moment before I sat up. I could see Harry shouting my name and struggling against Remus, but it was muffled and blurry, like I was on the other side of a warped window. Then, I saw Harry run out of view an angry and determined look on his face, but Remus was still there.

He fell to his knees, and buried his face in his hands. I couldn’t hear him but I knew he was crying. I could see his shoulders shaking with grief. I watched as my other cousin, Tonks, walked over to him and enveloped him in a hug.

I wanted to say something; I wanted him to go after Harry. The anger on Harry’s face when he had run off was all I needed to know that he was going to get into trouble. But I couldn’t, I couldn’t think of the words to say or how to say them. I could only stare and feel ashamed.

Then, I heard a noise from behind me and for the first time I took in my surroundings.

I was in what looked like a large lobby at a hotel I stayed at with James when we were on a holiday during the summer before our seventh year before everything had changed.

The lobby was paneled from floor to ceiling in a dark marble, the plush carpets lining the floors were lavish and a dark burgundy color. A receptionist’s desk stood in the middle made entirely of cherry wood. Beyond the desk were lifts that went up into the floors above.

The room was empty save for three people at the far end of the room. I could tell even from this distance who these people were. And then they were walking towards me.

The first was my Emily, taken from me by Death Eaters barely a week after our wedding. She had gone to the store for milk and had never come back. I had never known such pain. She merely hugged me and moved aside for the woman behind her.

The second was Lily. Her hair was bright and beautiful, her smile as radiant as the sun and her eyes swimming with tears as she hugged me tight and whispered, “Thank you” in my ear. I still could not speak. Nor could I fathom what she would thank me for but that thought was driven from my mind as I came face to face with my best friend.

The final was the person I was most anxious to see. He put his hands on both my shoulders and looked me straight in the eye a serious look on his face, before he smiled at me and said, “You’ve gotten too old, Padfoot. However shall we play now?” Then, he pulled me into a bear hug and I finally found my voice.

I don’t know what all I said, but I do know there were a lot of tears and a lot of apologies.

At length, my tears stopped and James let me go. “I'm sorry, Prongs, Lily, that I got to meet him and you haven’t.”

James just smiled sadly and said, “Don’t worry about that, old friend. Before the end of this war, I’ll be able to talk to my son.” And with that he grabbed hold of Lily’s hand, gave her a small smile and walked into the closest lift.

I turned to Emily who quietly whispered, “I’m sorry for leaving so soon.”

I could do nothing more than smile at her before leaning over and kissing her forehead like I had done thousands of times before. Then, I took her hand, whispered “I love you” in her ear, and followed James and Lily into the lift.

If I had been paying attention I would have noticed that Remus had stopped crying and was looking at the veil intently.

“James? Sirius?” he whispered.

AN: This is my first attempt at a one-shot. I just love Sirius SOOO much and I hate that JKR killed him just when we were all starting to really love him! I got the inspiration from this in a dream (I know it sounds wierd, but I swear that it's true). I hope you all really enjoyed it and please leave a BUNCH of comments/reviews/ opinions both good and bad in the box below.